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.300 Wby vs .338 Win

Marishka

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.300 Wby vs .338 Win
« on: October 17, 2020, 03:08:02 AM »
Just to bring all up to date, I posted this about 10 years ago and it remains useful for those choosing between these two rounds.

 The 250 grain bullet now available, for the .300 Weatherby, is by Hawks. I had some loaded by Superior Ammo and am taking them with me to Alaska, on Sunday, to hunt Coastal Black Bear.

The ballistics of the .338 and .300 Weatherby, using a 250 grain bullet are very similar. The only published ballistics for the .300 Weatherby using a 250 grain bullet is that for the Barnes Original. The comparison at MV is .338: 2660 fps and .300 Wby: 2650 and at 100 yards, .338: 2456 and .300 Wby: 2433. Out to 300 yds the comparison is very similar. On the issue of energy, at muzzle, .338: 3927 ft lbs and .300 Wby: 3898 ft lbs and at 100 yds, .338: 3348 ft lbs and .300 Wby: 3256 ft lbs.

While it is true that the .338 has a slightly larger diameter there are other factors consider, ie., sectional density and ballistic coefficient. On sectional density the .338 is .313 and the .300 Wby is much greater at .376. Equally impressive, for the .300 Wby, is the ballistic coefficient. For the .338 it is .291 and for the .300 Wby it is .417.

So, with a 250 grain bullet there are arguments for both. My preference is the .300 Wby which is why I own one. It is incredibly flexible, bullets available from 110 grains to 250 grains, and when equipped with the Pachmayer and with the Accubrake there is practically no recoil.

To take this one step further, when you get to bullets of less than 250 grains the superiority of the .300 Wby is without question. Using a 180 grain Accubond the .338 has a mv of 3100 and the .300 Wby a mv of 3250. At 100 yards the .338 is at 2840 and the .300 Wby at 3051. On energy at the muzzle the .338 is 3842 ft lbs and the .300 Wby at 4223. Then at 100 yds the .338 is 3225 ft lbs and the .300 Weatherby is at 3721 ft lbs. Again, out to 300 yards the comparison is abut the same. Sectional density for the .338 is .225 and for the .300 Wby is .271.

Then there is the issue of flatter trajectory.

In my opinion, the statistics speak for themselves. Roy Weatherby simply outdid the world when he came up with the .300 Weatherby Magnum.
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eford

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Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2020, 06:25:47 AM »
You have shown the data on why a 300 Wby performs better than a 338 Win Mag that I long suspected would be in favor of the Weatherby.
I looked at it as a smaller diameter bullet of the same weight and moving faster would penetrate deeper. A lot of times I’ve said if you want a bigger bullet, get a bigger cartridge. That has its limits or in this case, a proven one that is also in my gun cabinet.
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Every man needs to know his limits.

Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2020, 09:24:12 AM »
+1 on the 300 Wby, my thinking has been for a while now, with modern 180 gr bullets, the 300 Wby will easily take care of most hunting needs world wide, if you need more, then you need a 375 or larger.  8)

Rob

Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2020, 04:53:05 AM »
If you look at the Weatherby ballistic charts , the 300 compares favourably with everything from the 340 on down in energy , trajectory and velocity. It's just about perfect.

Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2020, 10:50:33 AM »
I think the clear winner of this debate is....

THE .340 WEATHERBY!! lol  ;D

225@3100
250@...
275gr option

I would be curious to see one of the high BC bullets loaded in the .340, I don't know all of them but believe there's a 235....265...that look interesting.

used the 275gr on bison, but in the future, pretty sure the 225 TSX and 250 NP will be the main choices.


As to your exact  post....
I personally wouldn't want to shoot a 250 out of a 300wby, 200 or 220 would be plenty heavy IMO.
I kind of have a love hate with the .338win.mag., but depending on the situation, 210,225,250 is quite a good combo.

Grouchy

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Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2020, 03:34:09 PM »
A 257 WBY mag blows off all this in velocity.  Why not hunt grizzly with that? 

BB340

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Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2020, 10:25:01 PM »
I think the clear winner of this debate is....

THE .340 WEATHERBY!! lol  ;D

225@3100
250@...
275gr option

I would be curious to see one of the high BC bullets loaded in the .340, I don't know all of them but believe there's a 235....265...that look interesting.

used the 275gr on bison, but in the future, pretty sure the 225 TSX and 250 NP will be the main choices.


As to your exact  post....
I personally wouldn't want to shoot a 250 out of a 300wby, 200 or 220 would be plenty heavy IMO.
I kind of have a love hate with the .338win.mag., but depending on the situation, 210,225,250 is quite a good combo.



Yes I totally agree!!  ;D
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Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2020, 08:42:31 PM »
I had a Win. Model 70 338 Win Mag. years ago.  I traded it in on a Weatherby Mark V Stainless 340 Magnum. I do not regret that decision. Enough said.
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Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2020, 12:59:38 PM »
+1 on the 300 Wby, my thinking has been for a while now, with modern 180 gr bullets, the 300 Wby will easily take care of most hunting needs world wide, if you need more, then you need a 375 or larger.  8)

Rob
Yep, I can't think of anything that I couldn't hunt with either my .300 Weatherby or my .375 RUM.
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Grouchy

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Re: .300 Wby vs .338 Win
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2020, 06:41:06 AM »
Apples to Apples! the 195gr. .308 ELDX has a B C of .584. The .338 285gr. ELDX has a B C of .829.    It's the reason there are so many .338's on the market now.   :)